Rice is a staple food in Nigeria and in the world at large. It is easy to cook and it is a good source of carbohydrates in many homes.
Rice is such an important food in some countries that “food consumption’ means “to eat a plate of rice.” Close to half of the world’s population gets approximately 50% of their calories from rice. Many people may go hungry without rice.
Botanically, rice is the seed of an aquatic grass. It has been cultivated for more than 7,000 years. The botanical name of rice is Oryza sativa. There are many varieties of rice, such as sushi rice, arborio, sona masuri, jasmine, and basmati. Rice comes in red, black, brown, and purple, with the colours resulting from pigments in the bran layer.
READ ALSO: What you didn’t know about Ofada Rice
The fried rice was invented in China as a way of using leftover rice.
Fried rice preparation varies from country to country.
Nigerian fried rice is a rice dish made with mixed vegetables (peas, spring onions, carrots, green beans, sweet corn, green bell pepper), meat, and spices. It is usually tasty, digests easily, and is simple to cook.
Fried rice has a lot of health benefits. Many types of vegetables like carrots and capsicum used in it have the right amount of antioxidants and help the body fight against many harmful bacteria. Fried rice contains antioxidants that can boost immunity.
The two major reasons why Nigerian fried rice spoils quickly are:
READ ALSO: YAM, RICE, AND GARRI PRICES SURGE BY 200% UNDER EMEFIELE
The ingredients used. Which are mainly vegetables.
and the other reason is that rice generally contains spores of a micro-organism known as Bacillus cereus, which can survive cooking. If cooked rice is kept at room temperature in a warm environment, the spores multiply quickly and make the rice go sour and produce toxins.
To make your fried rice last longer, stir-fry the rice before cooking.
If you are not serving it immediately, do not add vegetables while cooking, just stir fry them and mix with the rice when serving.
Thank you for reading
Written By: Janet Modupe Odusote